Seating furniture



Nov. 6, 195] E. s. ZEISEL 2,574,367

SEATING FURNITURE Filed Dec. 15, 1949 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 Nov. 6, 1951 E. s. ZEISEL 2,574,367

SEATING FURNITURE] Filed Dec. 15, 1949 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 JNVENTOR. 1 76.4. fiM

Patented Nov. 6, 1951 UNETED STATES PATENT orme SEATING FURNITURE Eva S. Zeisei, New York,.N.'Y. Application December 13, 1949QS erial No. 132.757

5-Claims. I.

The present invention relates to a piece of seating furniture, and more particularly to a chair having bent rod means.

It is an object of the present invention to providea' chairwhich can be easily folded;

It is another object of the presentinvention to provide a chair which" can be easily taken to pieces and reassembled. I

It is afurther object of the present invention to provide achair having a frame consisting of rods bent in one planeonly.

It is a still further object of the resent invention to providea chair having a frame and a piece ofcloth forming the seating surface.

The invention comprises in its broadest aspects two substantially horiicntal' snpp'ort'ng rod per"- tions arranged crosswise and adapted to support the piece of seatin'g furniture, four'upwa r'dlyextending portions serving as legs, one at each e'ncl' o'f the Supporting rod'porti'ons; two seat supporting rod portions, each connecting the upper ends of a lateral pair of the'upwardlyexte'nd ing leg portions to each other and extending at least partly in a substantially horiztmtal direction, and seat means securedalongopp'ositle edges thereof t'o the seat supporting rod' portions so as to hold theseat means in a predetermined posi tion. The supporting rod portions are prefer ably slightly curved and their centers; which are the highest points of the curve, are connected by pivot means. I I I I In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, each of said leg portions has a bend directed towards the center of thepiec'e of seating furniture. I

Preferably, the chair is provided with substam tially' horiaont'al rod-portion connecting respeotively, the front ends and the back ends of the upwardly extending leg portions and the seat means are secured along opposite edges thereof to the horizontal rod portions. I I

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the piece of seating furniture comprises two supporting rods each extending in a plane slightly inclined to theverti'cal'and including an upwardly extending frontportion, a middle'portion which is slightlycurved, and an upwardly extending back portion, the middle portions being arranged crosswise and adapted to support the piece of seating furniture, two lateral members each extending in a plane and including a substantially horizontal seat supporting portion connected" to the front portion of one' of the two supporting rods, respectively; and an upwardly extending rear portion coniii) 2 nected to the backportion of the other" of the two supporting rods,respectively, and seat'means secured along opposite edges thereof to the seat supportin'g'portions was to hold the seat means in a predetermined position.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the connections between the substantially horizontal seat supporting portions and the'up'wardly extending rear portions of the lateral members to the'fro'nt portions and back portions, respectively', of the supporting r'ods'are detachable and turn'ableand the seat means are detachably connected to'the seat supporting portions. Also the substantially" horizontal rod portions connecting, respectively; the upward ends of the" front portions and the back portionsof the rodsare detachably connected to the same. The seat means are preferably made flexible and enclose detachably along opposite edges thereof, respectively, the seat supporting portions and the horizontal rod portions. I

The novel features which if consider" as characteristic for my invention are set forth in particular' in the appended claims; The invention itself, howevenboth asto' its construction anclit's method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best'nnde'rstood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, i'n'which: I

Fig. l is a perspective front elevation of the frame of a-chairaccording to the present invention, assembledior' use'b'ht without the cloth providing theseat means; I

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the" frameor the'chaii shown in Fig. 1;'

Fig. 3 is a perspective side elevation of" the chair with the cloth providing" the" seat means;

Fig. 4 is a view of theparts of thefrarne ac"- cording to Figs. 1 and 2; I

Fig. 5 shows at enlarged scale the pivotal connection between the supporting rod portions shown in Figs. 1 and 4 Fig. 6 shows at an enlarged scale the detachable and turnable connection of the rod-shaped members with the rods" shown in Figs. 1 and 3; and

Fig. '7 is'ane'nlar'ged cross section alongline 'E'? of Fig. 3, showingthe connection of the seat means to one of the rod portions of the chair. I I I I Referring now to the drawings, and first to Figures 1" to 4, thechair shown in Figure Boonsists of a frame generally indicated by IE! and seat means It; such asa pieceof cloth; leather 3 or the like, which is connected to the frame II) in a manner more fully described hereinafter.

The frame IU comprises as shown in Figures 1, 2, and 4, two supporting rods I4 and I6, and two lateral members I8 and 20 which are connected to the rods I4 and I6 in a manner to be described more in detail hereinafter. Furthermore, the frame comprises two straight rods 22 and 24 which are connected to the rods I4 and I6 in the manner described more in detail hereinafter.

The frame is preferably made of steel tubing. It should be understood, however, that any other suitable material, such as wood or plastic, may be used instead.

Each of the rods I4 and I6 is bent in a plane and includes a middle portion 26 or 28, respectively, which is slightly curved and forms a supporting rod portion. The two middle portions 26 and 28 are arranged crosswise and adapted to support the chair. They are connected by a removable pivot 30 designed as a screw bolt which traverses the middle portions 26 and 28 at a slight angle 32 to the vertical, as more clearly shown in Figure 5. Each of the rods I4 or I6 comprises an upwardly extending front or leg portion 34 or 35, respectively, and an upwardly extending back or leg portion 38 or 4!), respectively. As will be seen from Figure 4, the front portions 34 and 36 extend upwards to a lower level than the back portions 38 and 48. Each of the front and back portions 34, 36, 38, and 4D ends in a stud 42 for the detachable connection of the members I8 or 20, as more fully described hereinafter. and back portions 38, 40 has a bend such as 44 directed towards the center of the chair, thus imparting to the frame a certain degree of springiness.

Each of the lateral members l8 and 20 includes a seat supporting portion or 48 which in the assembled frame has a substantially horizontal position, and a rear portion 50 or 52 which in the assembled frame extends upwardly. Each of the members I8, 20 ends in bent portions such as and 56, which have their ends recessed for receiving the studs 42 of the bent rods I4 and I6, as more clearly shown in Figure 6 of the drawings. Thus, in the assembled chair, the member I8 is detachably and turnably connected to the front portions 34 of rod l4 and the back portion 40 of rod Hi. It should be understood that the upwardly extending rear portions such as 5|), and the bends, such as 56, could be made longer as shown in the drawings so that the back of the chair has a relatively greater height than that shown in the drawings.

The front portions 34 and 36 and the back portions 38 and 40 are near their upper ends provided with holes, such as 58 and 6B (Figure 4) turning in pairs towards each other for the reception of the straight rods 22 and 24. The rod 22 inserted into the holes of the front portions 34 and 36 is longer than the rod 24 inserted into the holes of the back portions 38 and 40. In the assembled frame, the straight rods 22 and 24 have a substantially horizontal position, as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2. The bent rods I4 and I6 and the lateral members I8 and 28 extend in the assembled chair in planes which are inclined a little to the vertical as will be clearly seen from the plan view of the frame shown in Figure 2. When the rods 22 and 24 are removed, the frame can be folded about the pivot 30 so as to be a substantially plane object Each of the front portions 34, 36

which can be easily stored and carried. It should be understood that this folding can even be done with a cloth I2 connected to the seat supporting portions 46 and 48 of the chair. When the frame is assembled, the pivot 30 can be removed, the frame being held in position by the rods 22 and 24.

The cloth I2 has substantially oblong shape, the width being larger at the upper end 62 than at the lower end 64. The cloth can be made as a bag having openings at the upper and lower edge thereof for slipping it over the rod-shaped members I8 and 2D and the straight rods 22 and 24. Instead it may have hemmed casings, such as shown at 6B in Figure '7, to enclose the member I8 or 20 and the straight rod 22 or 24.

The chair is assembled by connecting first the back portions of the bent rods I4 and I6 to the lateral I8 and 20. Then the seat means, for instance the cloth, is slipped over the members I8 and 28, whereupon one front portion, for instance 34, is connected to the member I8. Then the straight rods 22 and 24 are slipped into the lower and upper ends of the seat means, respectively, and introduced into their holes, such as 58 and 60, which can be done as one joint of the frame is still open. Finally, the joint between the other front portion such as 36, and the member 28 is made by inserting the stud 42 into the recess of the front end of the member 20. If it is intended to take the chair to pieces again, the manipulations are done in reverse order. However, the folding of the chair into a fiat object may be done by only loosening one front joint and taking out the horizontal rods 22 and 24 and rejoining theloosened joint, whereupon the chair with the seat means may be folded.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of pieces of seating furniture, differing from the types described above.

While I have illustrated and described the invention as embodied in a chair having bent rods, I do not intend to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of my invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of my invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention, and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A piece of seating furniture having bent rod means and comprising in combination two transversely extending supporting rod portions arranged crosswise and adapted to support the piece of seating furniture; four upwardly extending leg rod portions, one at each end of each of said supporting rod portions; two seat supporting rod portions, each connecting the upper ends of a lateral pair of said upwardly extending leg rod portions to each other and extending at least partly in a substantially horizontal direction; and seat means secured along opposite edges thereof to said seat supporting rod portions so as to hold said seat means in a predetermined position.

2. A piece of seating furniture having bent rod means and comprising in combination two slightly curved supporting rod portions, the centers of the same being the highest point thereof,

arranged crosswise and adapted to support the piece of seating furniture; pivot means connecting the centers of said supporting rod portions to each other; four upwardly extending leg rod portions, one at each end of each of said supporting rod portions, each of said leg rod portions having a bend directed towards the center of the piece of seating furniture; two seat supporting rod portions, each connecting the upper ends of a lateral pair of said upwardly extending leg rod portions to each other and extending at least partly in a substantially horizontal direction; and seat means secured along opposite edges thereof to said seat supporting rod portions so as to hold said seat means in a predetermined position.

3, A piece of seating furniture having bent rod means and comprising in combination two slightly curved supporting rod portions, the centers of the same being the highest point thereof, arranged crosswise and adapted to support the piece of seating furniture; pivot means connecing the centers of said supporting rod portions to each other; four upwardly extending leg rod portions, one at each end of each of said supporting rod portions, each of said leg rod portions having a bend directed towards the center of the piece of seating furniture; two seat supporting rod portions, each connecting the upper ends of a lateral pair of said upwardly extending leg rod portions to each other and extending at least partly in a substantially horizontal direction; substantially horizontal rod portions connecting, respectively, the front ends and the back ends of said upwardly extending leg rod portions; and seat means secured along opposite edges thereof, respectively, to said seat supporting rod portions and to said horizontal rod portions so as to hold said seat means in a predetermined position.

4. A piece of seating furniture having bent rod means and comprising in combination two supporting rods each extending in a plane slightly inclined to the vertical and including an upwardly extending front portion, a slightly curved middle portion, the center thereof being its highest point, and an upwardly extending back portion, said middle portions being arranged crosswise and adapted to support the piece of seating furniture, each of said front portions and said back portions having a bend directed towards the center of the piece of seating furniture; pivot means connecting the centers of said middle portions to each other; two lateral members each extending in one plane and including a substantially horizontal seat supporting portion connected to said front portion of one of said supporting rods, respectively, and an upwardly extending rear portion connected to said back portion of the other of said supporting rods, respectively; substantially horizontal rod portions connecting, respectively, the upward ends of said front portions and said back portions of said supporting rods; and seat means secured along opposite edges thereof, respectively, to said seat supporting portions and to said horizontal rod portions so as to hold said seat means in a predetermined position.

5. A piece of seating furniture having bent rod means and comprising in combination two supporting rods each extending in a plane slightly inclined to the vertical and including an upwardly extending front portion, a slightly curved middle portion, the center thereof being its highest point, and an upwardly extending back portion, said middle portions being arranged crosswise and adapted to support the piece of seating furniture, each of said front portions and said back portions having a bend directed towards the center of the piece of seating furniture; pivot means connecting the centers of said middle portions to each other; two lateral members each extending in one plane and including a substantially horizontal seat supporting portion detachably and turnably connected to said front portion of one of said supporting rods, respectively, and an upwardly extending rear portion detachably and turnably connected to said back portion of the other of said supporting rods, respectively; sub-5 stantially horizontal and detachable rod portions connecting, respectively, the upward ends of said front portions and said back portions of said supporting rods; and flexible seat means detachably enclosing along opposite edges thereof, respectively, said seat supporting portions and said horizontal rod portions so as to hold said flexible seat means in a predetermined position.

EVA S. ZEISEL.

No references cited. 

